54 



On the Syrian and Jewish [No. 9, new series. 



blindly proud of their vain and different castes and privileges, 

 and ready to run any risk even that of hazarding their lives, only 

 to preserve their castes. 



The Jews and Nazaranies or Syrian Christians must of course 

 have come into Malabar a little before the dates of the Documents 

 No. III. and No. I. Of the latter people, including the pure 

 Syrians, and Roman Syrians, there are at present 1,81,009 souls in 

 Travancore inclusive of males, females and children, though in 

 A. D. 1836 there were only 1,74,566, and in Cochin there are at 

 present 44,574 souls, making a grand total of 2,25,583 souls. 

 The Jews, though they came here previous to the Nazaranies, 

 are at present only 114 souls in Travancore, and 1,277 in Cochin. 



Neither the Nazaranies nor the Jews ever made their abode 

 north of Cochin, though there are a few of the former at Chow- 

 ghaut (adjacent to Cochin) in the Zillah of Malabar. However, 

 with the exception of their religion, the Nazaranies have in every 

 other respect become like other natives of Malabar ; their food, 

 raiment, (that of the women alone excepted) language, man- 

 ners and a few other customs, are similar to those of the Hindoos. 

 Very few of them only study the Syrian language. The Jews 

 also in many respects are on the same footing, though they yet 

 preserve their Mosaic religion. There are a few black Jews also 

 amongst them, and they as well as the Nazaranies in general are 

 country-born. There are many wealthy persons amongst them, 

 they have also lands and gardens like others, and also follow 

 various trades in the country ; they have also their Churches and 

 worship. The Priest of the Syrians usually comes from Syria. 



To my fellow-countrymen I must now candidly confess, that in 

 explaining the above Copper Documents to make them more 

 plain and intelligible, I have felt it incumbent on me to 

 make a few slight remarks upon some of our Pooranoms, our 

 superstitions, castes, privileges, manners and customs, &c, 

 trusting that no offence will be taken thereat ; for, indeed, I have 

 done so partly for their own good to induce them to open their eyes 

 and see our infirmities. It is indeed the earnest and heartfelt 

 prayer of the writer of this paper, that they may be humble and 

 set themselves to reform, and so growing wise and enlightened 



